Fluid transfer device



E. F. KURZINSKI FLUID TRANSFER DEVICE Nov. 27, 1962 2 Sheets- Sheet 1Filed May 3, 1960 INVENTOR. EDWARD F. KURZNSK BY A Ma -g W A TTORNE YSNov. 27, 1962 E. F. KuRzlNsKl 3,065,916

FLUID TRANSFER DEVICE Filed May 5. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.EDWARD F. KuRzlNsxl .A TTONEY S assists Patented Nov. 27, i962 3,065,916FLUE) TRANSFER DEVEQE Edward F'. Kurzinsiri, Allentown, Pa., assigner,by mesne assignments, to Air Products and Chemicals, fue., Trenlertown,Pa., .a corporation of Delaware Fiied May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,529 2Claims. (Cl. 239-132) This invention relates to improvements in fiuidtransfer devices and more particularly to devices for introducing fluidinto a high temperature reaction zone.

Fluid transfer devices may be used for introducing a fluid, such asoxygen, into the combustion zone of a metallurgical furnace. Forexample, in the steel industry, oxygen is introduced into metallurgicalfurnaces including open hearth furnaces, converters, and electricalfurnaces to increase steel output without incurring major capitalinvestment. Efficient performance is obtained by blowing the oxygendirectly onto the molten bath and for this purpose a fluid transferdevice, sometimes referred to as a lance, is extended within the furnacewith its discharge end in close proximity with the surface of the bath.in operation, the transfer device may be subject to temperatures inexcess of 4000 F. and adequate cooling of the device is necessary inorder to maintain the process and obtain an economical life span of thedevice. Also, it is advantageous to direct the oxygen onto a large areaof the bath while utilizing the smallest possible number of devices.

There are a number of uid transfer devices presently in use forintroducing oxygen into metailurgical furnaces. These devices aregenerally fabricated from three concentrically spaced tubes, the oxygenbeing passed through the innermost tube and cooling water being directedinwardly through one of the annular spaces about the center tube andoutwardly through the remaining annular space. One of the disadvantagesof the prior devices is the diiculty of controlling and interrelatingwater volume `and velocity as a consequence of the difference incrosssectional arcas of the spaces provided for inward and outward ow ofcooling water. Furthermore, the problems presented by prior devicesbecome more severe when a plurality of discharge nozzles are used toincrease the area of the bath impinged upon by the oxygen.

1t is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novelfluid transfer device for operation under `high temperature conditions.

Another object is to provide a iiuid transfer device including a novelcooling arrangement which eliminates coolant velocity control problems.

Still another object is to provide a iiuid transfer device of theforegoing character including a plurality of discharge nozzles.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a fluidtransfer device of the multiple nozzle discharge type provided with anovel cooling arrangement for maintaining efcient cooling in regions ofthe device subject to high temperatures.

The above and other objects of the invention are achieved by theprovision of a fluid transfer device including a hollow outer member anda hollovl inner member located within the outer member in overlappingrelationship with the outer surface of the inner member spaced from theinner surface of the outer member to define a chamber extendingsubstantially throughout the overlapping region in which a plurality ofspaced elongated hollow members are located, the hollow inner membersbeing connected to a plurality of nozzles at the discharge end of thedevice.

The foregoing will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription considered in connection with the accompanying drawing whichdiscloses a uid Vtransfer device embodying the principles of the presentinvention. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawingsare designed for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of thelimits of the invention, reference for the latter purpose being had tothe appended claims.

ln the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similarelements throughout the several views:

FIGURE l is a cross-sectional View of a uid transfer device embodyingprinciples of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in section along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the device shown in FIG URE l illustratingthe discharge end of the device with the closure removed;

F GURE 4 is a view in cross section of the discharge end portion of afluid transfer device constructed in accordance with another embodimentof the present invention;

FGURE 5 is a view in section along line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view in cross section of the discharge end portion of afluid transfer device constructed in accordance with a furtherembodiment of the present invention; and

FGURE 7 is an end view of the device shown in FIGURE 6.

With reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, a fiuid transferdevice is shown therein including a hollow inner member itl defining apassageway il located within a hollow outer member l2 in overlapping,spaced relation therewith to provide an intervening chamber t3. 'themembers and i2 may be of circular vcross-section and positioned inconcentric relation to provide a ci amber f3 of annular cross-section asshown `in the drawings. A piurality of eiongated hollow members iii,t5', lo, i?, iii, and tt, providing passageways E0, Zi, 223, 23, 2li,and 25, respectively, are located in the chamber i3, the eiongatedmembers being spaced from each other and extending longitudinally of theinner and outer members itt and 12. if desired, the hollow elongatedmembers may be of circular crosssection, positioned in equaliy spacedrelation in the chamber 13, and in contact with or secured to the outersurface of the inner member l@ as shown in the drawings.

hollow outer member l2 includes an outer end portion 25 and an inner endportion Z7 connected in end-toend relation, the outer end portion Z6including soaced coolant inlet connection 2S and coolant outletconnection The outer end portion Z6 inwardly of the outlet connection Z9is adapted to cooperate with structure not shown for supporting theiiuid transfer device in the wall or roof of the furnace with the innerend portion Z7 extending into the furnace. The inner end portion Z7 mayhave a wall thickness less than the wall thickness of the outer endportion Zo and may be constructed of material different from thematerial of the outer end portion and may also be made up of `aplurality of sections such as sections 3d and 31. The various sectionsof the inner end portion may be joined together and the inner endportion may be joined to the outer end portion by any convenient meanssuch as by brazing or welding, for example. The unconnected end of theportion 2'7 which extends furthermost into the furnace terminates in adome-shaped closure 32 which may be welded or braaed to the section 3f.The inner hol-tow member liti extends throughout the length of the outerhollow member .it with one end 33, its innermost end, tern mated inspaced relation with the dome 32 and closed by member 3d and with itsother or outermost end 35 spaced beyond the outer end of the portion 2(and terminated in a fluid inlet connection 36.

The elongated hollow members extend throughout the length of the innerend portion Z7 `and throughout a portion of the outer end portion 26terminating in ends S7 located beyond the coolant outlet connection 29.'Sealing means 33 is located adjacent the ends 37 of the elongatedhollow members in sealing contact with the elongated hollow members andin sealing contact with the inner surface of the outer end portion 26and the outer surface of the hollow inner member 1t?, and seal ing means39 is located between the inner surface of the portion 25 and the outersurface of the member 10 on the other side of the coolant inletconnection 228 to form a chamber it? in communication with the coolantinlet 23 and the ends 37 of the elongated hollow members. The other endsof the elongated hollow members terminate adjacent the closure 32 influid communication with the chamber 13 and the latter chamber communi-Cates with the coolant outlet connection 29.

The portions of the elongated hollow member passing through the outerend portion 26 are preferably spaced from the outer surface of thehollow inner member 10 and the inner surface of the overlying portion 26to facilitate providing the seal 3S between these surfaces adjacent theends 27 of the elongated hollow members while the portions of theelongated hollow members within the inner end portion 27 are preferablysupported on the inner hollow members. This feature not only simpliiesconstruction of the device but also makes it possible to easily effectrepairs and replacement of component elements as may be required.

A plurality of nozzles 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and t) are located at thedischarge end of the device with one end of each nozzle connected to thehollow inner member in communication with the passageway 11 and with theother end of each nozzle extending through a suitable opening in thedo-med closure 32 and being joined to the closure in a fluid tightconnection such as by welding. The nozzles 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50are positioned about the longitudinal axis of the device, preferably inequally spaced relationship, and are inclined at an angle relative tothe longitudinal axis of the hollow inner member 10 diverging away fromthe longitudinal axis as the nozzles extend from the member 10 to theclosure 32.

As mentioned above, one of the features of the present invention is theprovision of a fluid transfer device of the multiple nozzle typeincluding novel means for directing coolant to the discharge end of thedevice in the region of the nozzles. This means, as shown in FlGURES land 3 of the drawings, comprises the relationship between the elongatedhollow members and the nozzles at the discharge end of the device andthe provision of fluid directing means on the discharge ends of theelongated hollow members. In particular, the nozzles 4S, 46, 47, 48, 49,and Sil are oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the deviceso that each nozzle lies `between an adjacent pair of the elongatedhollow members 14, 15, 16, 17, 13, and 19, and the ends of the elongatedhollow members at the discharge end of the device terminate between theends of the nozzles. In addition, the ends of the elongated hollowmembers are terminated in a unique manner to insure direction of coolantto all regions of the discharge end of the device. As shown, certain ofthe elongated hollow members, preferably alternate members such asmembers 15, 17, and 19, include terminating ends lying in a planeinclined inwardly and downwardly, as viewed in the drawings, withrespect t0 the longigtudinal axis of the device, while certain otherelongated hollow members, likewise preferably alternate members such asmembers 14, 16, and 18, are provided at their ends with fluid directingmeans 55, 56, and 57, respectively. The fluid directing means maycomprise extensions of the outer wall portions of respective elo-ngatedhollow members which project beyond the end of the portion 31 in spacedrelation with a portion of the domed closure 32 including areas of thedomed closure located within the nozzles 5.15, 46, 47, 4S, 49, and 59.The iuid directing means 55, 56, and S7 function to positively transfera sufficient portion of coolant to the central region of the domedclosure 32 and the provision of troughshaped uid directing means andother hollow elongated members having inclined planar discharge endsinsures substantially uniform circulation of coolant throughout theregion of the discharge end of the device including the nozzles.

Another form of discharge end structure for a fluid transfer device isshown in FEGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings. In this embodiment, the endsof the inner hollow member 10 and the outer hollow member 12 are joinedto a unitary structure 69 which includes thc nozzles and also functionsas a closure at the discharge end of the device. The structure 6dincludes a centrally positioned domed portion 61 merged into a circularwall portieri 62 terminated in a flanged edge 63 for receiving the endof the hollow outer member 12 which may be welded or otherwise joinedthereto. rPhe unitary structure 60, also includes a centrally locatedcircular wall portion 64 having a flanged end 65 adapted to receive theend of the hollow inner member 10. The circular wall portion 64 isjoined to the domed portion 61 by a plurality of smaller diameter wallportions 66, which may be of circular cross-section as shown, inclinedoutwardly and downwardly, as viewed in the drawings, with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the device. The wall portions 66 are spaced fromeach other and may be symmetrically positioned with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the device. The passageways 67 provided by the wallportions 66 communicate at the inner ends of the wall portions 66 withthe passageway 11 of the hollow inner member 10 through the circularwall portion 64 and extend through the wall of the domed portion 61presenting nozzle discharge openings 68. The elongated hollow members 69in the chamber 13 are located between wall portions 66 and alternatemembers 69 include terminating ends lying in an inclined plane shown at'70 while the remainint7 members are provided with inwardly openingtrough extensions 71 projecting downwardly `and inwardly, as Viewed inthe drawings, toward the central part of the domed portion 61. Theunitary structure 60 may be cast from alloyed materials capable ofwithstanding high temperatures and may include thick outer walls asshown consistent with the heat transfer requirements.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawingsalso includes the feature of the present invention of a hollow innermember 10 presenting a fluid passageway 11 located in spaced relationwithin a hollow outer mem-ber 12 to provide a chamber 13 housing coolantinlet members and providing a coolant outlet passageway. In thisembodiment of the invention, the discharge end of the device comprises aunitary structure 8i), which may be formed by forging, including acentral body portion 31, an outer circular wall portion 72 and an innercircular wall portion 73 extending upwardly, as viewed in the drawings,beyond the terminating edge of the portion 72, the ends of the portions62 and 73 being joined to the ends of the hollo-w outer member 12 andthe hollow inner member 10, respectively. The portions 72 and 73 extenddownwardly, as viewed in the drawings, and merge into the body portion81 at radial regions spaced by a wall presenting a curved internalsurface 74 which forms with the adjacent surfaces of the portions 72 and73 an annular cavity 75 comprising an extension of the chamber 13. Aplurality of elongated hollow members 76 forming inlet passageways forthe coolant are located in the chamber 13 in spaced relation and incontact with the outer surface of the member 10. The elongated members76 are provided with discharge nozzles 77 which direct the coolant intothe annular chamber 75 at its inner side and the shape of the chamber 75directs the coolant outwardly thro-ugh `the chamber 13. A plurality offluid nozzles 77 are formed in the body portion 81, preferablysymmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the device, the nozzles 77communicating with the passageway 11 and terminating in dischargeopenings 78 in the `outer surface of the portion `8,1.

In operation of the devices described above, the device is supported in4a metallurgical furnace such as an open 4hearth furnace for refiningVsteel by suitable supporting structure cooperating with the outer endportion 26 of the -hollow outer member ,12 preferably inwardly of thecoolant outlet connection 29 and outwardly of the connection between theportions 26 and Z7. Preferably, `the supporting structure is designed toprovide inward and outward movement :of the device as well as universalImovement about `its longitudinal axis. A source of suitable coolantsuch as water is connected to the coolant inlet connection 2S and acoolant discharge conduit `is connected tothe coolant outlet connectionv2.9). Also, a source of luid such as oxygen is connected to the fluidinlet connection 36. The oxygen flows into the passageway V11 anddischarges into the furnace through the nozzles `45, 46, `47, 48, 49,and 50 providing a large area of impingement onto the furnace charge. Atthe same time, cooling fluid flows into the chamber 40 and then throughthe passageways of the members Ztl, 21, v2,2, 23, 24, and 25, anddischarges therefrom into Vthe region of .the discharge end of thedevice including the nozzles and the domed closure 32 as describedabove. .Coolant flows-outwardly from the region .of the domed Aend tothecoolant outlet connection 29 through the chamber 13 in heat exchangerelationship with the inner surface of the hollow outer member 12throughout the length of its inner end portion 27 and also in heatexchange relationship with the elongated hollow members. Coolant inowing from the discharge end of the elongated hollow members into thechamber 13 traverses each of the fluid nozzle structures and is in heatinterchange with portions of the domed closure 32 adjacent the dischargeopenings of the nozzle structures.

The feature of the present invention of providing a plurality ofelongated hollow members .14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 for conductingcoolant to the discharge end of the device positioned in the chambercomprising the space between the hollow inner member l and the hollowouter member 12 makes it possible to easily provide any desiredrelationship between the cross-sectional area of the passageways for theincoming coolant and the outgoing coolant without consideration of thetotal cross-sectional area of the oxygen supplying passageway. It willbe appreciated this feature of the invention makes it possible to designthe oxygen ow passageway, that is, the passageways 11 of the hollowinner member l0, by only considering oxygen flow requirements, and todesign the passageways of the elongated hollow members by consideringonly coolant inlet flow requirements. The required crosssectional areaof the coolant outlet passage is established by selecting the properinternal diameter of the member 12 when considering the area of theinner member 10 and the total area of the elongated hollow members.Thus, in accordance with the present invention, desired relativecross-sectional areas of the coolant inlet passageway, and the coolantoutlet passageway, such as equal or proportional relationships, may bereadily obtained.

In addition to the feature of establishing inlet coolant r'low and theoutlet coolant flow relationships as described above, the means providedby the present invention for terminating the discharge ends of thecoolant inlet members 14, 1'5, 16, 17, 18, and i9 of the device shown inFEGURES l through 3 and for terminating the discharge ends of thecoolant inlet members 69 of the device shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, that ishaving a plurality of coolant inlet members extend into the nozzlechamber and discharge centrally and having a plurality of coolant inletmembers discharging outwardly, improves the cooling of the device in theregion subject to high temperatures and overcomes cooling problemsordinarily present in multinozzle fluid transfer devices.

Fluid transfer devices used in high temperature reaction zones aresubject to damage due to the high temperatures involved, the temperatureof the available coolant, the quantity of coolant available, or forother reasons. It therefore becomes necessary to repair or replacecomponents of the device particularly components subjected to hightemperatures. The fluid transfer device provided by the presentinvention is adapted for disassembly and replacement of component parts.In particular, should any portion of the discharge end of the devicebecome damaged due to excessive temperatures, the inner end portion 27of the hollow outer member 12, the hollow inner member i0 and theelongated hollow members 14, l5, i6, 17, l and 1% may be removed as aunitary structure by breaking the seal between the inner and outer endportions of the hollow outer member, the seal 39 between the hollowinner member l0 and the end portion 26, and the seal 38 in the region ofthe ends 27 of the elongated hollow members. These components of thedevice may be easilyreplaced and the damaged components may be repairedfor future use.

There is thus provided by the present invention a novel fluid transferdevice adapted for introducing a fluid into a `high temperature reactionzone such as a metallurgical furnace. Highly efficient cooling of thedevice is obtained by providing optimum relationship between the inwardand outward flow of cooling fluid and by directing the incoming coolingfluid onto portions of the device which are subject tothe highesttemperatures, including the discharge nozzles, while at the same timeproviding a device which is of small cross-sectional area as compared tothe devices provided by the prior art and which results in a substantialreduction of coolant demands. For example, fluid transfer devices havebeen constructed and successfully operated in accordance with thepresent invention in which the outside diameter of the device has beensubstantially reduced and in which the coolant requirements have beenreduced from 6000 gallons per hour required by the prior art to400G-2500 gallons per hour. The latter feature also results in amaterial reduction in heat los;es from the furnace which may be of theorder of 'about 1,500,000 Btu. for each fluid transfer device.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed anddescribed herein, it is to be expressly understood that various changesand substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spiritof the invention as well understood by those skilled in the art.Reference therefore will be had to the appended claims for a definitionof the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. Device for introducing fluid into a combustion zone of ametallurgical furnace comprising an elongated hollow outer member and anelongated hollow inner member located within the hollow outer member,

the ho'low outer member and the hollow inner member being in overlappingrelationship and the outer surface of the inner member being spaced fromthe inner surface of the hollow outer member to define a first zoneextending throughout the portions of the members in overlappingrelationship,

the hollow outer member and the hollow inner member having terminatingends adjacent one end of the first zone,

a plurality of spaced elongated hollow members located within the firstzone and extending longitudinally of the device substantially throughoutthe portions of the hollow inner member and the hollow outer member inoverlapping relationship,

a closure joined to the hollow outer member and extending outwardly asubstantial distance from the terminating end of the hollow outer memberforming a second zone in communication with the elongated hollow membersand the first zone,

sealing means joined to the terminating end of the hollow inner memberto Seal the hollow inner member from the second zone and the elongatedhollow members, and

a plurality of nozzle members joined to the terminating end of thehollow inner member and extending outwardly from the hollow inner memberthrough the second zone and the closure and being joined to the closure,

the nozzle members diverging from the longitdinal axis of the hollowinner member and terminating in openings in the closure spaced from thelongitudinal axis and located about a central portion of the closure,

each of the pluralities of spaced elongated hollow members including anextension projecting into the second zone between nozzle members andterminating adjacent the central portion of the closure.

2. Device for introducing iiuid into a combustion zone of ametallurgical furnace comprising a hollow outer member and a hollowinner member, the hollow outer member and the hollow inner member beingin overlapping relationship with the outer surface of the hollow innermember being spaced from the inner surface of the hollow outer member todefine a first zone extending throughout the overlapping region of thehollow inner member and the hollow outer member,

the hollow outer member and the hollow inner member having terminatingends adjacent one end of the irst zone,

a plurality of spaced elongated hollow members located within the firstzone and extending longitudinally of the device substantially throughoutthe overlapping region of the hollow inner member and the hollow outermember,

a closure joined to the terminating end of the hollow outer member atone end of the device and extending outwardly a substantial distancefrom the terminating end of the hollow outer member forming a secondzone in communication with the elongated hollow members in the firstzone,

a plurality of nozzle members joined to the terminating end of thehollow inner member and extending outwardly from the hollow inner memberthrough the second zone and the closure and being joined to the closure,and

extensions on alternate elongated members projecting into the secondzone between the nozzle members to define openings facing inwardlywithin the second zone and the remaining elongated hollow membersincluding ends terminating in a plane to define openings facingoutwardly toward a junction between the hollow outer member and theclosure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

